'Blackstar' - David Bowie
'I Like It When You Sleep For You Are Beautiful Yet So Unaware Of It' - The 1975
'Konnichiwa' - Skepta
'Love & Hate' - Michael Kiwanuka
'Made In the Manor' - Kano

PREDICTION: This is a bizarre range of nominees. David Bowie is arguably the favourite but will they like the Mercury Prize feel that someone alive would be a better winner? If so then Skepta could be the likely history maker as 'grime' truly comes of age. I'd say Michael Kiwanuka is a lively outsider with both Kano and The 1975 likely out of luck.

British Group ~

Bastille
Biffy Clyro
Radiohead
The 1975
Little Mix

PREDICTION: Radiohead have never won a Brit Award and I don't think they'll start doing so now. The 1975 with a corresponding album nomination should probably win. They're performing as well so unless they want to proverbially kick them in the teeth, The 1975 are winning this easily.

British Male Solo Artist ~

Craig David
Skepta
David Bowie
Kano
Michael Kiwanuka

PREDICTION: Four black men and a dead white man!? Just watch that dead white man win this now. Barring the organizers wanting to prefer someone who's alive then it should be David Bowie 'one last time' even though he won this a few years ago and sent Kate Moss to give an acceptance speech. Skepta's a possible alternative and I wouldn't rule out Michael Kiwanuka. Craig David has never won a Brit Award and probably still won't.

British Female Solo Artist ~

Anohni
Ellie Goulding
Lianne La Havas
Nao
Emeli Sandé

PREDICTION: History made with Ahohni the first act to ever be nominated in both Male AND Female when she was previously known as Antony Hegarty. Can she win!? I wouldn't dismiss it out of hand but Emeli Sande is the most likely winner considering she's been booked to perform. I'd give Nao no chance but do watch out for the odds dropping as someone always knows and bets accordingly particularly with the Brit Awards.

British Breakthrough Act ~

Anne-Marie
Skepta
Rag'n'Bone Man
Blossoms
Stormzy

PREDICTION: Who has the biggest fanbase here? I have no idea. Speculatively just like they did with Sam Smith a few years ago then this category might be the only one that Skepta wins but things don't work out as smooth as that. Rag'n'Bone Man won the Critics Choice and this would be a way to try & broaden out his potential at least for 2017.

PREDICTION: I'd imagine Little Mix arguably has the most devoted and slavish fanbase to actually care to vote for these things followed by Zayn Malik and possibly Coldplay and Calvin Harris. Clean Bandit lurks though. Who's Jonas Blue and Alan Walker when they're at home though!? Little Mix have been booked to perform so they're likely winners.

PREDICTION: Hmmm. Same thing here as with British Single I'd guess with Little Mix being a Simon Cowell creation most likely to win one of the 'voted for by the public' awards. One Direction is the favourite though and you'd have to think they will win this. Clean Bandit and Zayn Malik lurk though.

PREDICTION: What a sorry line-up. Whoever gets asked to turn up wins but without that information I'd give a tentative vote to Kings of Leon or Twenty One Pilots as the most likely winner here.

International Male Solo Artist ~

Drake
Bon Iver
Bruno Mars
Leonard Cohen
The Weeknd

PREDICTION: Bruno Mars is the kind of 'safe' act that the organizers like. Again, it's whoever they've booked to turn up to perform really who's most likely to win.

International Female Solo Artist ~

Rihanna
Sia
Solange
Christine and the Queens
Beyoncé

PREDICTION: Ordinarily this is Beyonce's to lose but they've never really prone to non-English language singers yet Christine and the Queens are there singing in their mixture of French and English. Yet again, note which of these five have been invited...I think Christine and the Queens almost definitely will win if they are.

Not really sure why Calvin Harris one is favourite here. Ordinarily I'd think it'd be between One Direction and Zayn Malik but I think Little Mix fans can be just as insane and they happen to be performing on the night.

I think the big prize of British Album probably goes to David Bowie but just to show that they aren't racist, they will allow the odd token win. Skepta for whatever reason has become beneficiary sweeping a whole bunch of awards. Perfect time for 'grime' to 'come of age' in front of a big audience and Skepta is performing so therefore he'll probably be allowed to win.

My Little Mix prediction is merely a punt but they're taking no precautions and have trimmed it into 16/1. They either win Single or Video.

Emeli Sande into 4/6. Skepta into 3/1. If there's any hint of a gamble such as knowing the result and betting accoridngly, the odds will collapse or they'll suspend betting. The winners are usually reveled at the rehearsals on the day of the ceremony for whatever bizarre reason.

One assumes that they all think David Bowie will win Album so no bookie will put up odds for it.

BBC think David Bowie will win Male. MTV go for Skepta instead as do I but they also predict Lianna La Havas for Female. One Direction to win Video is a logical conclusion but one I am opposing...money gone on Adele as she goes into 2/1 joint favourite with One Direction at Sunbets.

Sunbets still have odds up though. Skepta joint favourite with David Bowie at 6/4 to win Male (Craig David 6/1 with Kano and Michael Kiwanuka both 8/1). Lianne La Havas though has seen some money as her odds get trimmed into 4/1 behind Emeli Sande at 4/6 (Anohni 6/1, Nao 8/1 and Ellie Goulding 10/1).

Yep. David Bowie only got real respect when he was dead. I honestly doubt if he were still alive that he'd have won as many Brit Awards or Grammys. The international categories were rushed thanks to no shows. Paid enough to get Bruno Mars but not give him an award. A lot of time for Robbie Williams. Saved by the hilarity that was Katy Perry and a backing dancer falling over.

The Brit Awards will never shake off the accusations of racism despite some token wins. Skepta kind of understandably lost Album and Male to David Bowie even though he could have got Breakthrough, he got nothing. Grime, not my favourite genre, does not come of age here.

...and an "UGH!!" for not going for the bleeding obvious that was One Direction to win Video as Little Mix won Single instead.